Business Manager to Regional Probation Director, North East

Ashington, Darlington, Durham, Gateshead, Middlesbrough, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Newton Aycliffe, Peterlee, South Shields, Stockton-on-Tees, Sunderland

Region

North East

Closing Date

11-Sep-2026

Business Unit

Post Type

Fixed Term, Detached Duty, Loan, Secondment

Other

Number of jobs available

1

Reserve List

12 Months

Job ID

21321

Descriptions & requirements

The Regional Business Manager will report directly to the Regional Probation Director and plays a key role in supporting the effective delivery of probation services across the region. The postholder will lead the coordination and business management of the RPD’s Private Office, providing assurance, managing priorities, overseeing briefings and correspondence, and acting as an important link between the region, HQ, MoJ and wider stakeholders. This is a varied and influential role requiring sound judgement, strong organisational skills, confident communication and the ability to work tactfully and effectively with senior leaders and colleagues across a complex operational environment. This is a regional role and travel throughout the North East will be required. This will be a 12 month fixed term position.

Any Applicants wishing to apply for this role on the basis of a loan/secondment cover, MUST have the permission of their Business Unit Head before submitting an application

Overview of the job

This role reports to the Regional Probation Director.

Supporting the RPD to ensure the effective delivery of probation services within the region, provide assurance to the RPD of effective delivery and maintain a broad understanding of issues and business across MoJ, acting as the link between the Region and HQ.

They will be accountable for delivering effective coordination and business management of the RPD’s private office. The post is based in the RPD’s Private Office with line management responsibilities.

Summary

The postholder will need to be persuasive and influence others views positively, to deal confidently and tactfully with other colleagues.

Judgement and decision making – including readiness to take a high level of responsibility and the ability to exercise sound and sometimes rapid judgement based on the evidence presented in a range of situations.

The ability to analyse stakeholder positions and formulate proposals and options for consideration by the RPD, taking into account wider issues.

Responsibilities, Activities & Duties

The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:

• Coordinate activity in the RPDs private/regional office; ensuring efficient and effective diary management, provision of documents and smooth running of the private/regional office.
• Represent the RPD in non-operational matters with stakeholders, correspondents, members of the public and others as determined by the RPD
• Commission work on key regional objectives In live with the organisations corporate plans working to challenging timescales and ensuring delivery on time and to required quality standards. Commissioning will be to SMEs and involve the RPD’s lead specialist operational responsibility as well as the day to day operation of the region including Accredited Programmes and Interventions; Acquisitive Crime; County Lines; Domestic Violence and MARAC; Foreign National Offenders; Health; Performance & Quality; Young Adults including Care Experienced.
• Receive correspondence, review, prepare briefings for the RPD and draft responses. Ensuring the RPD is informed of matters where necessary and is involved in decision-making at the appropriate time and level.
• Manage the RPD Office budget, with delegated authority to approve expenditure up to approved limits within Financial Regulations.
• Line manage the RPD Office team, including diary manager, senior admin officer and other staff who may be assigned to the office from time to time. Additionally, to be the head of professional for PDU BMs across the region.
• Maintain and grow good relationships and working contacts with the CPO’s office, DG office and senior leaders across HMPPS and MoJ as well as MoJ Press Office. Develop effective working relationships with relevant Ministerial offices and local MPs, and other criminal justice agencies e.g. office of the Chief Constable, Directors of Social Services etc. Be the point of contact for centralised/HQ services.
• Manage all incoming e-mails/correspondence to the RPD and prioritise the work accordingly. Responding direct where it is possible to do so without reference to the RPD, including handling all incoming telephone calls and enquiries to the RPD’s private office, responding direct where possible and ensuring effective resolution in order to maintain organisational reputation.
• Prepare RPD bi-lats with the CPO and visit reports in preparation for meetings with Heads of PDU, ensuring any actions are carried out.
• Support the updating of Regional Corporate risk reports and review of high-risk recommendations, and maintaining implementation plans across the Region, progress chasing as appropriate. Undertake ad-hoc projects and investigations on behalf of RPD.

The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary. Significant adjustments may require re-examination under the Job Evaluation Scheme and shall be discussed in the first instance with the job holder.

An ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence through the medium of English or (where specified in Wales) Welsh.

Behaviours

• Making Effective Decisions
• Managing a Quality Service
• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Experience of working at a managerial level in a complex environment is required.
• Experience of stakeholder engagement at various levels is essential.
• The postholder will need to be persuasive and influence others views positively, to deal confidently and tactfully with other colleagues. Judgement and decision making – including readiness to take a high level of responsibility and the ability to exercise sound and sometimes rapid judgement based on the evidence presented in a range of situations.
• Experienced organiser, coordinating, preparing briefs & correspondence; gatekeeping/protecting and taking the pressure away from the RPD.
• Typically, this individual will have worked in a private office as an assistant, with a developed understanding of the workings of civil service protocols
• Experience of dealing with correspondence, dealing with ministers, MPS, senior leaders in complex high volume/busy environments.

Technical requirements

Ability

• High level IT and Business Management skills.
• The ability to analyse stakeholder positions and formulate proposals and options for consideration by the RPD, taking into account wider issues.

Additional Information

New entrants to the Civil Service will be expected to join at the entry point salary for the advertised band

Existing Civil Servants will have their salary calculated in accordance with the Department’s pay on transfer / pay on promotion rules.

Working Arrangements & Further Information

The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working.Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone’s circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review.

For nationally advertised roles, the successful candidate(s) will be appointed to aMoJoffice location, which may include their nearest Justice Collaboration Centre or Justice Satellite Office. This will be discussed and agreed on the completion of pre-employment checks.

Some of MoJ’s terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made.

Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week excluding breaks which are unpaid. HMPPS welcomes part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns, where they meet the demands of the role and business needs. All applications for part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns will be considered in accordance withthe HMPPS’ Flexible Working policy.

The MoJ offers a range of benefits:

Annual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after five years’ service, plus public holidays.Leave for part-time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro-rata basis

Pension

The National Probation Service is covered by the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) run through the Greater Manchester Pension Fund (GMPF).Please visit for further information.

Please note: Any current Civil Servant who is a member of the PCSPS, by accepting an offer of employment to the National Probation Services will be opted out of the PCSPS and auto enrolled into the Local Government Pension Scheme.

Training

The Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.

Networks

The opportunity to join employee-run networks that have been established to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be expressed direct to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender.

All candidates are subject to security and identity checks prior to taking up post

Support

• A range of ‘Family Friendly’ policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.
• Access to flexible benefits such as voluntary benefits, retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
• For moves to or from another employer or moves across the Civil Service this can have implications on your eligibility to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for alternative government childcare support schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. More information can be found on or Childcare Choices .You can determine your eligibility at .
• Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
• Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles .Should you feel that the recruitment process has breached the recruitment principles you are able to raise a formal complaint in the following order

• To the Civil Service Commission (details available here )

As a Disability Confident employer, MoJ are committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities, by making adjustments throughout all elements of the recruitment process and in the workplace. MoJ are able to offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns.

You will be able to request reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process within the application form. If you need additional help completing the application form, please contact the TBS Recruitment Enquiries Team.

For more information on applying for a role as a candidate with a disability or long-term condition, please watch our animated videos .

The "Making the Civil Service a Great Place to work for veterans" initiative includes a guaranteed interview scheme to those who meet the minimum criteria to provide eligible former members of the Armed Forces with opportunities to secure rewarding jobs. Allowing veterans to continue to serve their country, and to bring highly skilled individuals with a broad range of experience into the Civil Service in an environment, which recognises and values your previous service in the Armed Forces.
For further details about the initiative and eligibility requirements visit:

Redeployment Interview Scheme

Civil Service departments are expected to explore redeployment opportunities before making an individual redundant. The MoJ is committed, as part of the Redeployment Interview Scheme, to providing opportunities to those who are 'at risk of redundancy'.

MoJ is able to offer an interview to eligible candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. Candidates will not be eligible for the Redeployment Interview Scheme if they are applying on promotion.

Civil Service Nationality Rules

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles.

PS Head of RPD Office JD v1.0.pdf(Job Description Attachment)

We will assess your experience for this role via the following methods

CV or Work History, Statement of Suitability

Statement of Suitability

Guidance for the Statement of Suitability

Please describe how your relevant skills and experience align with the requirements of the Regional Business Manager post and how you will contribute to achieving positive outcomes and a lasting impact within the role.

Evidence of Experience

CV or Work History, Statement of Suitability

Technical

Technical Questions Application Form Question Word Limit

250

NVQ Level 5 or equivalent in a relevant subject (or appropriate practical experience).
Microsoft: Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.

Interview stage assessments

Interview Dates

To be confirmed

Behaviours

Making Effective Decisions

Managing a Quality Service

Leadership

Communicating and Influencing

Working Together

Strengths

Strengths will be assessed but these are not shared in advance. To learn more about Strengths and how they are assessed.

Level of security checks required

DBS Standard

Use of Artificial Intelligence (Al)

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.Please see ourcandidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

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